Navigator Plus: Circular White LED Control Panel

What is it?

Introducing "Navigator Plus" - Circular White LED Control Panel. It is a cutting-edge solution designed to revolutionize user interaction and interface control. (See Demo Video).

Illuminate your control experience with precision and style. Each button on this circular breakout board boasts individual WHITE LED illumination, offering not only enhanced visibility but also customizable aesthetics. Seamlessly integrate this innovative control panel into your projects, whether you're designing gaming peripherals, interactive displays, or industrial machinery.

Each LED can be programmed to turn on, blink, or gradually glow/fade when connected to PWM. This allows for creative customization and dynamic visual feedback. Whether it's indicating system status, highlighting active functions, or simply adding an aesthetic touch, the LED glow adds an extra dimension to your projects. Each LED can be controlled separately from the buttons.

The design of each button is intended to seamlessly fit next to one another, creating an aesthetically pleasing circular shape for the entire control panel.

Features:

• Individual White LED illumination for each button
• Directional buttons feature dynamic arrow indicators
• Central "enter" button with luminous dot for intuitive confirmation
• Ideal for gaming peripherals, interactive displays, and industrial machinery
• Enhance user experience with enhanced visibility and customizable aesthetics
• Effortlessly navigate menus, maps, and interfaces

Pinouts:

• LB: Left Button (Connect to MCU GPIO Input with Pullup)
• LL: Left LED (Connect to MCU GPIO Output)
• RB: Right Button (Connect to MCU GPIO Input with Pullup)
• RL: Right LED (Connect to MCU GPIO Output)
• UB: Up Button (Connect to MCU GPIO Input with Pullup)
• UL: Up LED (Connect to MCU GPIO Output)
• DB: Down Button (Connect to MCU GPIO Input with Pullup)
• DL: Down LED (Connect to MCU GPIO Output)
• CB: Center Button (Connect to MCU GPIO Input with Pullup)
• CL: Center LED (Connect to MCU GPIO Output)
• GND

NOTE: The negative terminals of all LEDs and buttons are pre-connected to the GND in the PCB traces. Therefore, you only need to connect the above pins to your MCU GPIO.

Potential Use Cases:

Customize gaming controllers: Enhanced functionality and aesthetics, featuring dynamic arrow indicators for precise navigation, programmable "enter" button for quick actions, and customizable LED illumination for visually stunning effects, offering a unique and immersive gaming experience across various genres and platforms

Escape Room Puzzles: Design intricate escape room puzzles where participants must use the directional buttons to navigate through virtual or physical environments to solve clues and progress through the game.

Interactive Art Installations: Create interactive art installations where viewers can manipulate visuals or soundscapes by pressing different buttons, adding an element of interactivity and engagement to the artwork.

Robotics Prototyping: Integrate the control panel into robotics projects as a user interface for controlling robot movements, navigation, and actions, allowing developers to easily test and prototype robot behaviors in real-world scenarios.

Smart Home Automation: Use the control panel as a physical interface for controlling smart home devices and systems, allowing users to navigate through menus and select actions such as adjusting lighting, temperature, or security settings.

Accessibility Devices: Adapt the control panel into accessibility devices for individuals with disabilities, providing a customizable interface for controlling assistive technologies, communication devices, or environmental controls with ease.

Music Production Interfaces: Use the control panel as a tactile interface for controlling music production software or hardware, allowing musicians and producers to trigger samples, adjust parameters, and navigate through menus during live performances or studio sessions.